Undergraduate digital portfolio advice

 

What we want to see:

  1. Drawing and image making

    We want to see your drawing ability in its broadest sense. This can include different types of drawing – observational (objects, people, landscapes) and conceptual (initial design sketches, ideas and development). You can show your drawing and image making ability through different media including pencils, paint, ink, photography, moving image, collage, printmaking, Photoshop and CAD.

  2. Sketchbook work

    We love sketchbooks as they show how you research, explore and develop an idea. This can include references to work, exhibitions or any thing else that has inspired you. You can include annotations that demonstrate your thought process and don’t be afraid to include rough sketches. (We don’t want to see lots of secondary source material e.g. magazine cut outs, print outs from websites or photocopies from books).

  3. Making

    If your chosen course will involve making skills (products, fashion garments, architectural models, sculptures etc.), include images of your 3D design work. We want to see your 2D to 3D design development and experimentation with different materials. Examples don’t need to be complex we want to see your interest and enjoyment of manipulating materials.

  4. Project work

    We want to see how you work on a project from start to finish – the finished article and how you got there. Show your initial research, idea development, experimentation and your conclusion or final piece. Try to include one project which can be either independent work or from your current studies.

 

How to present your work:

  1. Make sure your portfolio represents you. It should showcase your interests, skills, creativity and passion for your chosen subject.

  2. Include examples of research, experimentation, idea development, drawing (and media), making (if relevant) and final outcomes.

  3. There is no right or wrong way to present your work, just make sure it’s clear what you are trying to communicate.

  4. Be selective about what to include, it’s about quality rather than quantity. You should aim for 15 – 20 pages.

  5. Compile your work into one single multi-page PDF or PowerPoint file. You can use our template to help you.

 

Format:

  1. Take high quality pictures of your work. Make sure the work is clear and easy to see with a clear background.

  2. Ensure all work is included within this single file, rather than directing us to your website or Instagram account.

  3. If you are including moving images such as animation or video please use .mp4, .MOV or .AVI format.

  4. Compress or zip your file so that it does not exceed 1GB in size.

  5. The name of your file should be your name, student reference number and the title of the course you have applied for.

  6. Submit your file via www.mailbigfile.com/dmuac

 

Questions?

If you have any questions about your portfolio submission, please contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to help you.

T: +44 (0)116 207 8443

WhatsApp: 07970 655 800

E: admission@dmu.ac.uk